Electronic Cigarette Device with Temperature-Activated Battery Vent Port

Abstract

An e-cigarette device includes a housing configured to hold a battery, a vent port arranged in the housing, and a safety valve means arranged on the vent port, wherein the safety valve means is configured to open and/or close the vent port partially and/or completely depending on the temperature within the housing. As the vent port opens automatically when the temperature of the battery exceeds a certain value, the potential danger of an explosion caused by an increase of pressure inside the housing due to a malfunction of the battery can be avoided.

1 . An electronic cigarette device comprising:
 a housing configured to hold a battery,   a vent port arranged in the housing, and   a safety valve means arranged on the vent port,   
       wherein the safety valve means is configured to open and/or close the vent port partially and/or completely depending on a temperature within the housing. 
     
     
         2 . The electronic cigarette device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the safety valve means is configured to at least partially close the vent port by taking a first shape during normal conditions when the temperature is below a threshold value and to at least partially open the vent port by taking a second shape when the temperature exceeds said threshold value.   
     
     
         3 . The electronic cigarette device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the safety valve means is configured to take back the first shape when the temperature falls below the threshold value so as to partially or completely close the vent port.   
     
     
         4 . The electronic cigarette device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the threshold value lies between 59° C. and 74° C.   
     
     
         5 . The electronic cigarette device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the safety valve means has a reaction time of less than 100 ms to fully open.   
     
     
         6 . The electronic cigarette device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the safety valve means includes at least a shape memory alloy element containing a shape memory alloy.   
     
     
         7 . The electronic cigarette device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the shape memory alloy element contains a blend of 45Ni-50Ti-5Cu.   
     
     
         8 . The electronic cigarette device according to  claim 6 , wherein
 the safety valve means includes at least an elastic seal.   
     
     
         9 . The electronic cigarette device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the safety valve means is at least partially configured to bend, straighten, contract, expand, harden, soften, melt or decompose when the threshold value is exceeded.   
     
     
         10 . The electronic cigarette device according to  claim 8 , wherein the shape memory alloy element has a circular or semi-circular shape and is attached to the elastic seal and configured to straighten partially when heated, thereby increasing a diameter of the circular or semi-circular shape, pushing the elastic seal radially apart and increasing a diameter of a valve opening. 
     
     
         11 . The electronic cigarette device according to  claim 8 , wherein the shape memory alloy element has a curved shape and is attached to the elastic seal of a first piece of the safety valve means and configured to straighten partially when heated, thereby separating said first piece at least partially from a second piece of the safety valve means and creating and/or increasing a valve opening. 
     
     
         12 . The electronic cigarette device according to  claim 6 , wherein the shape memory alloy element has a longitudinal shape and is configured to bend when heated, thereby partially lifting the safety valve means up from the vent port and creating and/or increasing a valve opening. 
     
     
         13 . The electronic cigarette device according to  claim 6 , wherein the shape memory alloy element has a longitudinal shape and is attached to a first piece of the safety valve means and configured to contract when heated, thereby separating said first piece from a second piece of the safety valve means and creating and/or increasing a valve opening. 
     
     
         14 . The electronic cigarette device according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the elastic seal is made of silicone.